We wanted to do a follow up post on the construction of data centers. While construction of them is still on the rise, demand for them from the general public is not.

Leaders say AI is “the future”; are they implying that diminishing the planet’s resources is also the future?

Data centers continue to be built despite multiple Americans’ objections, including lawmakers who, across fourteen states, have imposed bills to halt construction near large communities. While many of these bills have been vetoed, there’s been a few successes depending on the city. A recent ruling in Cleveland, Ohio blocked attempts to build a data center near its city’s communities after multiple parties objected that they’re loud (constant whirring noises), wasteful, and will certainly affect the city’s resources and civilians.

It’s not just Clevelanders who’ve hoped the AI centers will stop — 70% of Americans show a strong disdain for data centers, citing environmental concerns, but their pleas go ignored when technology leaders quote, “They’re the future” and will stop at nothing to appease the ever expanding generative artificial intelligence.

Back in March, with our earlier post on this topic we mentioned that there was a big dispute about how tech companies were offering owners of farmland huge sums in exchange for data center construction on their land. Even after their huge offers, they still couldn’t understand why the pushback was so strong. The unpopularity for these centers only increased. It’s been reported that these centers (we don’t know if it’s altogether or individually) use up to 5 million gallons of water a day to keep cool, along with using 448 trillion watts of electricity. Imagine that, data centers have hardly been around for five years, and they’re already using more power than nearly 90% of countries globally. On top of the environmental damages and disruptions, residents who live near data centers are angered that the electricity used is included in their monthly utilities, especially with the cost of electricity already out of control. It’s angering those who want uncharted land unaffected, who were promised they wouldn’t need to pitch in for costs associated with the power plants. And, they definitely don’t to hear constant whirring that not only causes noise pollution but also physical ailments on those living nearby like vertigo, migraines, and earaches.

70% of Americans show strong disapproval for data centers, and those numbers aren’t getting any smaller.

On of the big issues is how to limit the amount of water and energy used by these massive data centers. Advising people to shorten their prompts instead of requiring it while the amount of natural resources continue to be sucked dry by data centers seems misaligned.

Plus, the only real demand for these centers is from the companies with the money to invest billions into this technology. Regarded as the “pioneers” of the AI movement, the tech leaders who can afford all this should also be able to afford making up the immense quantities of electricity, water, and money is to appease the demand by these same tech leaders who continue investing billions.

Regardless of what measures they take to save costs, cooling, or land, they’re still refusing to acknowledge that these centers will deplete resources. Plus, they will have negative impacts on both the environment and surrounding communities. So, rather than ensuring there are protective measures set in place when it come to energy usage, it looks like they’ll still find loopholes to put these powerhouses up.

Stay tuned. . .

Sources:

AI and data centers leave goliath-sized environmental footprints globally | AP News

Inside the race to rebuild AI data centers before the grid hits its limit - Los Angeles Times

They're noisy. They're unpopular. Should data centers be banned?